Wall Street and Me

New York -- I am bemused by today's first assignment -- ringing the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange. After all, environmentalists and capitalism have an uneasy relationship, and for many of the companies listed on the Big Board their most memorable experience with the Sierra Club came in the form of papers served for environmental lawsuits we've brought. But companies are an essential part of the solution if we're going to reshape our economy along sustainable lines, and I'm here this morning along with Donald Knauss, the CEO of Clorox, to open trading on the Monday before Earth Day.

The Sierra Club has partnered with Clorox on a new line of natural, non-petroleum-based cleaning products: Greenworks. We've said for years that sustainability shouldn't be a luxury for only the affluent, and Greenworks is the first line of environmentally friendly cleaning products to be marketed -- and priced -- for the average American. Sustainability is one of the central themes that Knauss --who's been at the helm for only 18 months -- has established for Clorox, and Greenworks is a good beginning -- but the company recognizes it's got miles to go before it can complete its transformation. Still, Greenworks is a category-transforming beginning -- and perhaps this morning's bell may be the first indicator that corporate America -- or its innovators at least -- can move from greenwashing to green chemistry.

Capitalism, incidentally, survived its close encounter with the Sierra Club -- the Dow closed down only .19%.

Comments

[ferrarimanf355]

Congratulations on the new CAFE regs. I'm going to go out and buy a Dodge Challenger or Chevy Camaro before those regs kill the muscle car and take the fun out of driving...

[PROUD TREE HUGGER]

Are you still eating meat Mr. Pope, after the UN report on same. If not, kudos to you! If so, you are not leading by example and not doing ALL you can for the environment. I hope it is the former.

[Steve Gaghagen]

Is Clorox now certified as a "Climate Neutral" company by the US EPA? They may now have some Green cleaning products, but are they Green in both their creation and delivery? Is Clorox offsetting any emissions in the delivery of the products?

Thanks ... but I'll stick to my Shaklee products which, by the way, save me TONS of money on a yearly basis.

[Philip Clock]

Capitalism survived its close encounter with the Sierra Club? Really? If capitalism is defined as "an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than the state", then what part of Capitalism are you threatening? Perhaps the Sierra Club itself is Capitalistic, controlled by private owners for profit. Or are you controlled by the State?

[Stacy Wilde]

Has the Sierra Club been sleeping? Or just making nice? If you look around for potential partners in the Green Cleaning products category, Clorox doesn't have the corner on anything new. Ever heard of Shaklee? 50 years and a price point that Clorox can't even come close to: here's the comparison: Shaklee's All purpose cleaner will run you 3 cents a bottle, Clorox $3.99. Oh yeah, and you eliminate over 100 pounds of packaging because it's concentrated. And Shaklee is climate neutral certified. So I could see Sierra partnering with a company like that. But Clorox??? Am I dreaming? No thanks, I'll stick to spending my money on products from companies that have been responsible for decades, not just since the last financial report.

[J. Mitchell]

I saw in a Wilderness Guardian newsletter that Sierra Club has partnered with Clorox on their Green Works.

While I think this particular line of product is good, Clorox continues to use ANIMAL TESTING for other products which is UNACCEPTABLE to our family, and besides the company overall is not eco-friendly.

We are long-time Sierra Club supporters. We'd rather throw your/our support behind TOTALLY eco-friendly companies that are also committed to no animal-testing or animal ingredients in ANY of their products. I'd encourage you to rethink your association with Clorox, or better yet use your influence to get them to abandon animal testing all together.